Tuning too soon

Clyde Hollinger cedel@supernet.com
Tue, 31 Dec 2002 07:38:06 -0500


Friends,

Thirteen months ago I began servicing a 1996 Samick SG-185 grand in a church,
and at the beginning of this year (it's still 2002!) installed a complete
Dampp-Chaser system.  Since that time the piano has held the tunings quite
well.  Except....

They wanted it tuned before the Christmas Eve service.  When I arrived December
16, the piano was in the hallway and the Dampp-Chaser had been unplugged for two
weeks.  Like you, Don, I said it should have a month with the system on for the
tuning to hold, but the Christmas Eve service was only eight days away.

They promised to return the piano to its normal position and get the system
plugged in promptly.  I rescheduled the tuning for the morning of December 24.
When I arrived on the 24th the piano was up to 13 cents flat and sounding more
sour than it ever has since I installed Dampp-Chaser.

Does the piano need a month to stabilize after a DC system is installed?  I
would say yes.  The next time I tune this piano it will be March, which can be
one of the driest months.  Nevertheless I expect to find the tenor sharp and the
piano sounding pretty bad.

Regards,
Clyde Hollinger, RPT
Lititz, PA, USA

Don wrote:

> How long after the DC install did you do the tuning? I prefer to wait a
> month if at all possible.


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